Sound-box for talking-machines.



A. D. JONES.

SOUND BOX-FOR TALKING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. ms.

Patented July 25, 1916.

'INVENTOR ATTORN EYS Wl TN ESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

ALVA I). JONES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SOUND-BOX FOR TALKING-MACHINES.

Original application filed November 23, 1914, Serial No. 873,500. Divided Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916. and this application filed J anuary v 29, 1916. Serial No. 74,981.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVA D. Jones, a citizen of the United- States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Sound-Box for Talking-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

It is well known that sound boxes of the character in general use frequently emit a metallic or scratchy sound which it is the object of my invention to overcome entirely or reduce to a minimum.

I have discovered as the result of a long series of experiments that rubber has a ,valu

able function when incorporated in a sound box in such a way that it is exposed to the .atmospheric displacement resulting from the movement of the diaphragm. While I have secured good results from soft rubber, I find thzit hard rubber is far superior, as it assists in increasing the volume without changing the speed of the vibrations or the tonal qualities thereof, and I find that the best results-are obtained by using a hard rubber back, as-this is the part of the instrument that is exposed to the greatest move ment outside of the diaphraghm resulting from the sound Waves, as it must deflect the sound in the direction of the horn.

The advantage'of a hard rubber back over a metal back is very great, as metal has a distinctive characteristic tonal quality pe- 'sound which is of-low tonal quality, yet extremely .sharp or high pitched due to the fact that the speed of vibrations is much faster in the case of metal and its extreme tendency to sympathize and greatly intensify sounds resulting from brass or other metallic'instruments. Rubber being practically void of resonance, yet extremely vibrant is by far the most valuable of substances to form the sound deflectin back of a sound reproducing instrument or the last reasons "mentioned, and in, my exhaustive experi-- ments I have found that the good results in a sound box depend upon, the amount of rubber used, as is disclosed in some of my prior patents in which I use all rubber of varied degrees of density and I have prefer 6 ably had them constructed and cured in such a a Waythat the back portion of the instrument would be hard rubber, as hard as it could possible be cured, and I preferablyuse metal to supply wh1ch it would afl-ord, and in these cases, I have found it preferable to surround it and clire it into rubber-in order to prevent the ill effects of the metal.

I have discovered as the result of a long series of experiments that rubber cured to a predetermined'degree and incorporated in a sound box, in accordance with my invention so as to form the back or body thereof 4 as hereinafter described, possesses characteristics which simulate the sound producing qualities of the human throat and free the instrument from metallic tones In 1ts broad aspects, my present invention is a division of an application filed by me November 23rd, 1914, Serial No. 873,500, andcomprises a thickened, hardened wall of rubber with respect towhich the diaphragm is so mounted as to be capable of such movement as will cause the sound delivered by it referably to said rubber wall, to be distinctly articulated and mellowed,- sald rubber wall serving as a carrier or support not only for the diaphragm and its adjuncts but also for the rearwardly extending v coupling device or its adjuncts, whereby the soundbox is coupled to the tone arm which conveys the soundv to the desired point, the

box as an entirety and its adjuncts being inexpensiveof construction, extremely sensir 'tive in actlon, easily and quickly repaired and most'efl'ective and natural in tone reproduction a 4 To the above ends, my inventlon in its broad aspects comprises in a sound box, the

combination of a hardened rubber disk, back- 'or body, having an opening through the center thereof, said body carrying at its rear portion a flanged rearwardly extended sleeve or coupling member adapted to engage the tone arm of a talking machine of the desired type,'while said same hardened rubber body also serves as a carrier fora metallic annular member having a pair of integral lugsv for, piv'otally supporting the stylus bar the small added "weight 65 larged scale, a

and said annular'member also having an inwardly projecting annular ring portion provided with a gasket retaining lip, said lip holding in position between it and rubber back, a pair of annular gaskets between which a diaphragm is held, the stylus bar being secured at its inner end to said diaphragm and pivotally supported at its outer portion between said lugs.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

' For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities ofv which my invention consists can be variously arrange and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization 'of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a vertical section on line Fig. 2 of a sound box embodying my invention. Fig. 2-, represents, on an enfront elevation Fig. 3 represents a view similar to that of Fig. l, of a modified form of construction.

Similar numerals of reference indicate correspondingparts in the figures.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2,1 designates the sound box proper, and 2 designates the hardened, thickened disk, wall, or bodyportion, composed of hard rubber or similar material, cured to a predetermined hardness and having a central opening therethrough.

3 designates a flanged metallic neck rearwardly extending having a flange 4, secured to the back plate or disk 5, which is cemented to the wall or body 2, as shown at 6. The back plate 5 is of greater diameter than the flange 4 and although it forms a convenient connecting device between the metallic neck 3 and the body of the box, this construction is not essential, as it is obvious that the flange 4 of the neck may be directly secured to the body 2 by screws or bolts 7, which instead of being threaded into said back plate 5, may be threaded directly into the .body portion 2, as the added weight secured by the plate 5 may be incorporated in'the metal part encircling the hard rubber back as the vital feature is the function of the hard rubber back being exposed to the sound waves.

8 designates a forwardly projecting metallic ring or annularmember having an inwardly turned. annular lip, and secured to the rubber disk, back or body 2 by any suitable means, as cement'lO. If desired, bolts or screws may be employed to secure the piate a to the lip 85, although it will be ap said of Fig. 1.

diameter of the diaphragm,

' lar metallic lip or that the cement 10 will suffice to efthe lip 8 to the rubber disk the cement 6 will efliciently 5 to said disk I do not,

parent fectively secure or body 2, and secure the plate however, desire to be limited to any particuholding the back 2, v

lar securing means for lip 8 and neck 3 in position upon the common carrier 2, as it will be evident that other fastening devices than those shown may be employed as it is the function of the hard rubber back that is of the greatest importance and as stated the necessary weight may be embodied in the frame surrounding the latter. The value of hard rubber with respect to its function is clearly; illustrated in Fig. 3. Obviously however, the lip 8 may be integral with the body as in the construction seen in Fig. 3,-its function in connection with the gaskets 12 being to secure the diaphragm 11 with respect to the body through the. intervention of said gaskets.

The diaphragm may be of any usual character or desired material and is retained in position between the 'inturned lip 8 and the body 2 by the gaskets 12, above referred to, one upon the inside and the other upon the outside, and each preferably in the form of a hollow tubular body of soft rubber. The tubular feature of the gaskets is, however, unessential, although the cylindrical form is preferable because making it possible properly to seat each gasket relatively to the other, the inner one by laying it within a circular seat 13 channeled or grooved in the front face of the body 2, and the outer one againsta chambered or concave edge 14 of the lip 8.

15 designates a circumferential recess formed within the lip 8, which, being of greater internal diameter than the external permits the diaphragm to have its requisite radial vibratory movement.

. 16 designates a stylus bar, the inner end of which is connected with the diaphragm by any convenient means, as the connection 17 18 designates lugs or carrying arms for the boxings 1.9 of the bearings 20 against which the points of the pivot pin 21 of the stylus arm bear in a manner well understood in this art, said arms being preferably integral with the annular metallic member 8, and the pin 21 being staked in the lower portion 22 of the stylus bar 16. The carrying arms 18 may be member 8,.as shown in Figs.'1and 2, or may pnojeet from the flange or back plate 5 of the neck, as in Fig. 3. In the construction seen in Fig. 3, the annular inturned lip, as already exlained, is integral with the body portion of the box, that is to say, is not made of metal but of the rubber of which the body is composed. In this construction,

integral with the annu- 4 plate of the neck 3 is formed with a forwardly-extended externally threaded boss 22 which is in threaded engagement with the body 2, the screws or bolts9 in this construction engaging the body 2. The, organization of this modified construction so far as regards the diaphragm, gaskets, stylus bar and its carrying connections, is identical with that of the construction of Figs. 1 and 2.

'I desire to call special attention to the fact that in the construction seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the hard rubber back'2, serves as a carrier not only for the rearwardly extending neck 3 but also-for the annular metallic member or lip 8, the latter being cemented to said body, as indicated at 10, while said neck 3, which is practically integral with the plate a 5, when the parts are assembled, is also car ried by said hard rubber body 2, since the.

' of the stylus bar having the pivot pin staked cement 6 serves to firmly secure in osition said plate 5, the latter and said ange 4, when assembled,- having substantially the same function, asif they were made integral, as will be apparent.

In the operation of my device, it will be apparent that any scratchy or metallic tones or surface noises will be absorbed by-the hard rubber back 2, which acts as a carrier for the neck 3 'and the lip 8, as stated, and the resultanttones'will be found to be entirely free from any metallic sounds.

I am aware that it-has heretofore been proposed to make use of rubber as an element of a sound box, as shown in the French patent to Bontchev, No. 370,812, but my device difiers therefrom,, since my thickened hard rubber back 'has an opening therethrough, and said hard rubber back further serves not only as a carrier for the rearwardly extending neck 3, which alines'with said opening, but also as a carrier for the annular metallic member 8 hav-in the lugs 18 and aninwardly turnedannu ar lip, be-

tween which a plurality of gaskets are held, and in addition, my stylus bar is located wholly without the sound box body proper, and has its outer end pivotally supported with'respect to said lugs, which construc tions are not present in said Bontchev patback, in combination with an annular me- -tallic member having integral forwardly projecting lugs carrying adjusting devices for apivot pjn staked in the outer end of my stylus bar, which construction is not present in said Cahit patents, which are only adapted for playing. a. hill and dale record, and I results cannot be obtained if simply a thin Y diskor shell of rubber is employed at the back of the diaphragm as. the'sympathetic' tones of the metal parts are not properly ab- V sorbed and the weight of the sound box is ent. My invention is further differentiated" from Bontchev, since I mount the outer end therein in such a manner that the ends of the pivot pin engage adjusting devices carried bythe lugs integral with the annular metallic member carried by said hard rubber back. My invention is also diflz'erentiated 'from the constructions seen in the British patents to 'Cahit, No. 1417 9, granted July 11th,.1901, and "Cahit, No. 17,932,- granted October9, 1900, since in mydevice I emplo a'thickened hard rubber back, having a, rearwardly extending metal1ic neck, which is secured to and carried byxsaidhard rubber insutlicient to cause it to follow at all timesthe impression groove of the record. In accordance with my present invention, I employ a body ofjrubber of sufficient thickness to absorb the sympathetic tones of the metal parts and to increase the weight I -prefer-. ably employ metal or its-eq1iivalent.which is incorporated'with the other component I parts in such manner that the necessary effective weight'is given to the sound box and the metallic tones are absorbed.

It will now be apparentthat 'I' hzive de- -vised a novel and useful construction of a. I

sound box for talking machines which embodies the features of-advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the'invention and the above description, and while I have, in the presentinstance, shown and de: scribed apreferred embodiment thereof which will be found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the sameis susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scopeofthe invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to securesby Letters Patent, is

1. In a sound box, ahard rubber body, a metallic ring operatively connected with it, a diaphragm resiliently mounted within' and surrounded by said metallic ring,- and a.

stylus bar operatively connected with the diaphragm and pivotally carried by the sound box. I I Y 2. In a sound box, a hard rubber body, an annular metallic member operatively connected-with it and provided with an inwardly directed lip, .a diaphragm resiliently mounted between said lip and said body, and i a stylus bar operatively connected with said diaphragm and pivotally carried by the sound box. i 1

E". In a sound box, a hard rubber. body, an annular metallic member 'operatively connected-with it, a diaphragm positioned be gasket between said diaphragm and memher, a gasket between said diaphragm and tweensaid rubber body and said member, a

said rubber body, and a stylus bar operatively connected with said diaphragm and pivotally carried by the sound box.

4. In a sound box, a hard rubber back, a

metallic annular member carried thereby,

lugs projecting from said member, a diaphragm resiliently mounted between the rubber back and member, a stylus bar having its inner end secured to said diaphragm,

a pivot pin mounted in the outer portion of said bar, and adjustable bearings mounted in said lugs and engaging and supporting said pivot pin.

5. In a sound box, a hard rubber back, a metallic rearwardly extending flanged neck carried by said back, a forwardly projecting inwardly turned annular metallic memher or lip secured to and also carried by said hard rubber back, lugs integral with said metallic lip member and projecting therefrom, a pair of annular gaskets retained between said lip and said hard rubber back, a diaphragm retained between said gaskets, a stylus bar having its inner end secured tosaid diaphragm, and pivotal con- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for nections common to the outer portion of said stylus bar and said integral lugs.

6. In a sound box, a hard rubber back, a metallic rearwardly extending flanged neck carried by said back, a forwardly projecting inwardly turned annular metallic member or lip' secured to and also carried by by said hard rubber back, and having an inner annular concavity therein, an annular recess in said hard rubber back in alinement with saidconcavity,-annular gaskets "located in said concavity and said recess, a diaphragm mounted between said gaskets, lugs integral with said annular metallic member and projecting forwardly therefrom, a stylus oar having its inner end secured to said diaphragm, a pivot pin carried by the outer end of said stylus bar, and adjustable bearings in said lugs, said bearings being engaged by said pivot pin.

ALVA D. JONES.

Witnesses:

E. HAYWARD FAIRBANKS, H. S. FAIRBANKS.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

